Commission rejects foundation appointment

Published: Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at 08:50 PM.

PANAMA CITY— The Bay County Commission has inched forward in its quest to get a seat on the Bay Health Foundation by rejecting a second appointment to that board.

The commission didn’t even have to vote Tuesday on 63-year-old Olivia Cooley, of Panama City, whose nomination had been tabled at a previous meeting. Chairman George Gainer formally brought the agenda item before the commission for Cooley’s confirmation, but no commissioner made a motion to approver her.

The commission must approve all appointments to the foundation’s nine-member board, which is comprised of the former board of trustees of Bay Medical Center. The board changed its name and function when the hospital went private in 2012, becoming Bay Medical Center Sacred Heart Health System.

Cooley did not attend the meeting.

Commissioner Mike Nelson suggested the commission table the appointment, but no formal motion was made. Guy Tunnell said the commission needed to approve or reject the appointment.

“I guess by not making the motion we reject it,” Gainer said and County Attorney Terrell Arline confirmed that assumption.

That’s the second appointment the commission has rejected. Frieda “Tink” Warren was turned down the same way; no commissioner proffered a motion, so her appointment died when she was up for a reappointment to the foundation.

PANAMA CITY— The Bay County Commission has inched forward in its quest to get a seat on the Bay Health Foundation by rejecting a second appointment to that board.

The commission didn’t even have to vote Tuesday on 63-year-old Olivia Cooley, of Panama City, whose nomination had been tabled at a previous meeting. Chairman George Gainer formally brought the agenda item before the commission for Cooley’s confirmation, but no commissioner made a motion to approver her.

The commission must approve all appointments to the foundation’s nine-member board, which is comprised of the former board of trustees of Bay Medical Center. The board changed its name and function when the hospital went private in 2012, becoming Bay Medical Center Sacred Heart Health System.

Cooley did not attend the meeting.

Commissioner Mike Nelson suggested the commission table the appointment, but no formal motion was made. Guy Tunnell said the commission needed to approve or reject the appointment.

“I guess by not making the motion we reject it,” Gainer said and County Attorney Terrell Arline confirmed that assumption.

That’s the second appointment the commission has rejected. Frieda “Tink” Warren was turned down the same way; no commissioner proffered a motion, so her appointment died when she was up for a reappointment to the foundation.

Once the commission has rejected three foundation appointments, it can select its own appointment, and that appears to be the strategy it’s pursuing.

Commissioner Guy Tunnell has been the most outspoken commissioner about getting a seat on the foundation. He said he “supposed” the next step is to bring another foundation appointment before the board, so he or she could be rejected. No one has said what would happen if the foundation does not make another appointment.

“The ball is in their court. It keeps bouncing back and forth,” Tunnell said.

The commission argues the seat would provide members with firsthand knowledge of the foundation’s proceedings. It also would give the commission a chance to monitor the pension fund, which the foundation oversees. The commission is concerned the county would be on the hook for the pension, which is not fully funded, if it were to run out of money.

Asked if progress is being made to get a commissioner on the board, Tunnell said, laughing, “I don’t have a quarter to flip.”

In other business:

-The commission approved hiring James Muller as the county’s RESTORE Act coordinator. He has a master’s degree in biological oceanography from Florida State University and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Armstrong Atlantic State University.

-The commission gave a favorable recommendation to reappointing Dr. Michael Hunter as medical examiner for the 14th Judicial Circuit. His appointment expires July 1, and Gov. Rick Scott will decide if he is reappointed.

-The commission approved the sale of property at Mulberry Avenue and Sixth Street to the city of Panama City.

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